Russia Against Replacing Bustani

Published 8:00 pm, Tuesday, April 23, 2002

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday criticized the U.S.-led ouster of the head of the world's chemical weapons regulatory agency and defended his performance.

Jose Bustani was dismissed Monday at a meeting of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague, Netherlands, after the United States successfully rallied members to remove him.

"Russia spoke out against replacing Bustani, and considers that he did a great deal toward solving issues of prohibiting and destroying chemical weapons," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said in a statement released Wednesday.

"Thanks to Bustani's actions, the OPCW transformed itself into an independent and authoritative international organ that became one of the most important mechanisms of control over weapons and disarmament," Yakovenko said.

Bustani had led the organization since it was established in 1997 to oversee the destruction of the world's chemical weapons stockpiles and production facilities.

The United States and Russia both supported Bustani's reappointment in May 2000. But more recently, the State Department accused Bustani of mismanagement and plunging the agency into crisis.

Russia has the world's largest arsenal of chemical weapons, about 44,000 tons. Russia in 1997 committed itself to destroying the stockpile within a decade, but has complained that it cannot afford the program without foreign aid.

Australian Deputy Director General John Gee will serve as acting head of the 145-nation body until a replacement is named.